In 2020, more people died from tuberculosis; many fewer were diagnosed and treated or received preventive treatment compared to 2019, according to the global report of this disease presented at the headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) by Dr. Tereza Kasaeva.

The director of that organization’s World Program against Tuberculosis said that the first challenge is the suspension of access to this infection services and the reduction of resources, and the second challenge is that people fought to procure health care amid the lockdowns.

Human, financial and other types of resources for the fight against tuberculosis were reallocated in many countries to fight against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes Covid-19, which limits availability to essential assistance.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the results, which must serve as a global appeal, as alarming.

He considered investments and innovation urgent to bridge gaps in the diagnosis, treatment and behavior in favor of millions of victims of tuberculosis, an old but preventable and treatable disease, he said.

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